Yes, the topic of Google blocking every apps from unregistered developers is already in the world for some days and I was simply ignoring it. Truth said: I’m too tired (and too old) to jump through Google’s kafkaesque hoops and loops just to publish a little hobby app. Whenever some distant country in the Himalaya creates a law to protect pink three legged cats, I have to provide to Google a detailed list of all my three-legged cats, their medical records and my offical three-legged-cat-holder-license. On deadline. Or my dev account will be canceled.
Catch-22 side note: When I tried to remove my Google dev account myself, I was stopped, because somewhere exists a single copy of my only app. Probably on one of the old phones rotting in some chest on the attic. Since then I ignore every requirement from Google until they close my account. 🤷♀️
So, when the topic first arose, I shrugged and put it on the stack with all the unanswered “Google Developer Policy Changes require you to…” mails. It only came back to my attention when I recently opened F-Droid and saw keepandroidopen.org-banner. I promptly I +1’ed the change.org petition and added the website banner. And since the only one reading this blog is probably Google’s search bot, it may even reach the right receiver. Who probably will ignore it as always since they shredded “don’t be evil”.
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